Match package



Jan. 27, 1953 HT G. WATSON, SR

MATCH PACKAGE Filed Obi. 27, 1949' I N VEN TOR. I'VSRRY WPZSTS N SR- MJM ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1953 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 MATCH PACKAGE Harry G. Watson, Sr., Alpine, Tex. Application October-27, 1949, Serial No. 123,829 a This invention concernsa package for matches of the wooden stem type.

- A major object of the invention is to provide a match package forming a safe 'container for the matches and permitting easy removal of a match from the container.

Anotherobject is to provide a match container of pleasing appearance for holding a supply of matches in readinessfor the user and retaining the matches in a neat orderly arrangement as the quantity is depleted.

In accordance with these objects, one important feature of this invention resides in the frusto-conical shape of the container with a convex disk closing one end to form a bottom upon which the matches stand. Another feature is the relationship of the diameters of the ends of the container to the widths of the heads and stems of the matches so the matches fit snugly within the package. Still another feature resides in the provision of a rough paper surface upon which the matches stand so they will remain erect in neatly arranged order after some of the matches have been removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective View of a match package embodying the invention in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the match package shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the match package is constituted of sheet material such as paper or cardboard. It has a container H of sheet material formed into a frustoconical shape, inverted so its larger end is at the top. At this larger end, the sheet material of the container is turned outwardly upon itself to provide 9. rolled edge I2 around the periphery of the top of the container.

Closing the smaller end of the frusto-conical container to form a bottom is a convex disk l3 also of paper-like material. This disk l3 may have a depending peripheral flange l4 fitting snugly within the lower end of container ll. Retaining the convex disk l3 in position is a peripheral flap IS on the lower end of container H and folded inwardly to overlie the inside of flange I4.

Disk I3 is positioned with its convex surface on its upper side to form a bottom sloping upwardly 4 Claims. (01. s-.-29

from the walls of the container. A plurality of matches l6, 16, preferably of the wooden variety, are arrangedwithin the container so their stems rest upon the convex bottom formed by the disk and their heads project upwardly beyond the rim l2 on the larger end of the container.

So the, match heads and stems will fit snugly within the container, the dimensions of the container have a definite relation to the dimensions of the matches. For optimum conditions, the ratio of the diameter of the large end of the container to the diameter of the smaller end thereof is of substantially the same proportion to the ratio of the diameter or width of the match head to the diameter or width of the match stem as the height of the container is to the length of the match. In other words, the ratio of the larger diameter to the smaller diameter of the container is approximately equivalent to the ratio of the product of the width of the head of the match multiplied by the height of the con tainer to the product of the width of the match stem multiplied by the length of the match.

These are optimum dimensions which may be varied within limits. Any material variation will reduce the nicety of the fit of the matches in the container.

With the matches assembled within the container as described, a cover I! of flexible transparent plastic material is placed on top of the match heads and so extends downwardly to overlie the side of the container where it is secured by a band 18 having its ends I9 and 2! overlapping and temporarily bonded to one another by a pressure sensitive adhesive (not shown). To open the package, the band [8 is removed and cover I! lifted ofi of the container.

As the match stems rest upon convex disk I3, the heads of the matches in the center of the container are higher than those toward the sides, so the match heads themselves form a convex shape at the top of the package. This facilitates removal of the first few matches after which they are less tightly packed and may be more readily removed.

In many match containers, the matches slide across the bottom of the container and down the side walls so they assume angularly disposed positions and become entangled with each other. As a result, after a portion of the matches have been removed, the remainder are difficult to reach and withdraw from the container.

According to the present invention, this condition is alleviated by the frusto-conical shape of the container and the convex shape of the base. With this arrangement, the unused matches naturally assume positions so they are evenly distributed about the side walls. Augmenting the shape of the container is the provision of a rough paper surface 22 on the convex surface of disk I3. Even though a majority of the matches have been removed, the remaining ones will be restrained from sliding across the rough surface 22. Thus, a few matches in the container remain neatly arranged so a single match may readily be withdrawn.

To strike the match, a strip 23 of sandpaper is secured to the side of the container in any suitable manner.

What is claimed is:

1. A match package comprising a frusto-conical hollow container of paper-like material having a paper-like disk closing its smaller end to form a bottom, said bottom disk having its upper surface of convex shape sloping upwardly into the container from the side walls thereof, the said upper surface being roughened to engage the ends of matches and prevent them from slipping across the bottom of the container.

2. A match package comprising a frustcconical container of paper-like material, a bottom disk of paper-like material closing the smaller end of said container, said bottom disk having its upper surface of convex shape so it slopes upwardly into the container from the sides thereof, and a plurality of wooden stem matches having the ends of their stems resting upon said bottom disk and having their stems extending beyond the open larger end of said frusto-conical container so the match heads are accessible.

3. A match package comprising a frustoconical container of paper-like material, a bottom disk of paper-like material closing the smaller end of said container, said bottom disk having its upper surface of convex shape so it slopes upwardly into the container from the sides thereof, and a plurality of wooden stein matches having the ends of their stems resting upon said bottom disk and having their terns extending beyond the open larger end of said frusto-conical container so the match heads are accessible, the ratio of the diameter of the larger end of said container to the diameter of the smaller end thereof being of substantially the same proportion to the ratio of the width of the head of one of said matches to the width of the stem thereof as the height of the container is to the length of one of said matches.

4. A match package comprising a frustoconical container of paper-like material, a bottom disk of paper-like material closing the smaller end of said container, said bottom disk having its upper surface of convex shape so it slopes upwardly into the container from the sides thereof, and a plurality of wooden stem matches having the ends of their stems resting upon said bottom disk and having their stems extending beyond the open larger end of said frusto-conical container so the match heads are accessible, the ratio of the diameter of the larger end of said container to the diameter of the smaller end thereof being of substantially the same proportion to the ratio of the width of the head of one of said matches to the width of the stem thereof as the height of the container is the length of one of said matches, said bottom disk having its convex surface roughened to prevent slipping of said matches thereon.

HARRY G. WATSON,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 186,247 Harlow Jan. 16, 1877 205,202 Morse June 25, 1878 259,018 Howard June 6, 1882 276,031 Haff Apr. 17, 1883 679,610 E'ckert July 30, 1901 1,127 ,430 Maxwell Feb. 9, 1915 1,702,677 Weik Feb. 19, 1929 1,873,085 Warner Aug. 23, 1932 2,133,122 Swain Oct. 11, 1938 2,190,930 Boyd Feb. 20, 1940 2,351,306 Tuthill June 13, 1944 2,552,051 Margulies May 8, 1951 

